MANILA – The doctor’s advice regarding President Rodrigo Duterte’s Barrett’s esophagus, which was “nearing stage one cancer,” was given to him a “long time ago,” the Malacañang said.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Wednesday that Duterte is “fit and healthy for a person his age” and the public do not need to worry about his health condition.
“I think that advice was given to him a long time ago when the President was still drinking. He has since stopped drinking and as far as I know since he became President he has not resumed drinking,” Roque said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
“So you’re talking of a medical advice that happened many years ago, even prior to the presidency. And I think the reason why the President precisely stopped drinking was to prevent it from developing into stage one cancer. That is the context of what the President said,” he added.
Roque said the President is “reaping the harvest of heeding medical advice” and that the chief executive does not have a cancer.
“Rephrasing what the President said, he almost had cancer if he did not stop drinking but he has since stopped drinking,” the Palace spokesman said. “To those who wish the President ill, sorry na lang po kayo.”
In a taped address to the public aired on Tuesday morning, Duterte said his doctor warned that his Barrett’s esophagus may lead to stage one cancer. Duterte also issued a similar statement in a speech in Cebu City on February 24, 2019./PN
